After a couple gets engaged, there’s only so long before the blissed-out celebration ends and the realities of wedding planning settle in. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the logistics and expense of a big wedding, you might want to consider eloping.
Elopement isn’t just for couples looking to run away from it all. If you’re looking for an intimate ceremony with just you, your partner and a few close family members or friends, eloping has some serious advantages. Take a look at the eight reads below to help you make your decision.
“Elopements aren’t what they used to be: clandestine, quick, quite possibly in Vegas. These days, couples are personalizing their elopements, holding their ceremonies in ever-more exotic locales, and maybe even inviting a few guests. It’s just cheaper and less work overall — perfect if you hate wedding-planning with a passion.”
“The reasons people choose to elope are extremely diverse, but can include factors such as budget, timing, romance, and nonconformity. Many betrothed couples have at least one moment during wedding planning where they think ‘wouldn’t it be easier to just elope?’”
“There are those who dream of throwing a big blow-out wedding with tons of guests, a fairytale dress and fancy centerpieces. Others fantasize about eloping in a no-frills ceremony instead with only a few close family and friends present — or perhaps no one at all. One choice isn’t inherently better than the other; it’s an intensely personal decision that the couple must make together.”
“I know that an elopement comes with some fairly big implications ― that is, forgoing the opportunity to publicly declare yourselves in front of friends and family (and, for some people, forgoing the gift list... come on, just a little bit) but for us, eloping was the absolute dream wedding.”
“So many reasons come to mind but perhaps the biggest was because we were also buying our first home at the time and blowing a lot of money on one day just didn’t seem like a smart financial move. We were able to afford a nice honeymoon trip by skipping the expensive wedding and had a small informal party when we returned — lots of fun without all the pressure of a big ‘performance.’” ― Laura, 44, of Massachusetts
“The average American couple spends over $30,000 on their wedding. When you factor in the inevitable family drama and deluge of details, the emotional costs alone can be incalculable. Enter the microwedding: An intimate (read: tiny) affair that’s friendlier than an elopement and roughly a billion times less stressful than planning a black tie destination extravaganza for 250 souls.”
“We didn’t need all the fluff and flowers. We wanted an experience we could remember and always revisit. I hear so many people talk about how their wedding day was a blur and they can’t remember much. I didn’t want that.”
“When Jeremy and Rachelle Garrett sat down to plan their wedding, they got overwhelmed thinking about how much time, effort and money goes into it all. So the pair, who lives in Ontario, Canada, decided to go in another direction and use the money they would have spent on a traditional wedding to fly to Iceland and elope.”